THE French-Tunisian defender grabbed a double to push the Ally McCoist's men closer towards 100 points.

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Rangers star Bilel Mohsni celebrates his opener

BILEL MOHSNI netted a double to take his tally to 12 goals this term and dent Ayr United's play-off hopes.

The French-Tunisian defender scored the goals that kept Rangers’ unbeaten league run going.

But Ally McCoist's side scraped past the visitors in a match that looked like being remembered only for the equalising goal scored by Ayr’s teenage winger Alan Forrest.

The 17-year-old not only looks like big brother James, but took his chance in a manner the Celtic and Scotland star would no doubt have approved of.

It was enough to level Mohsni’s opener but with nine minutes left, the Ayr defence was unlocked again and the defender left the field to a standing ovation.

However, it was far from a classy display from Rangers who had looked far more threatening away from home at the weekend when they broke through the 100-goal barrier in the league.

The Ibrox boss made just one change from the team that had crushed Stenhousemuir 4-0 with Arnold Peralta replacing Kyle Hutton, who dropped to the bench.

And it was Ayr who made the early running with Michael Moffat creating a seventh-minute opening for strike partner Craig Malcolm.

Moffat drove at Rangers’ defence and laid the ball off for Malcolm to angle an 18-yard drive beyond Cammy Bell’s left hand but the Ayr player watched in anguish as the shot also beat the post.

McCoist’s team was lacklustre in the first 10 minutes and it wasn’t long before the manager was on the touchline voicing his displeasure. But Ayr – who are still in the hunt for a play-off spot – continued to look the hungrier side.

Out of the blue, though, Rangers did slice open the Ayr defence in 18 minutes, or rather Fraser Aird did with a cute backheel that gave Jon Daly time to turn and get a shot away.

The striker’s effort flew over the bar when it should have given David Hutton in goal his first work of the evening.

It was to signal a spell of increased home pressure, with Nicky Law and Dean Shiels looking busy, but there remained little in the way of a cutting edge.

Hutton was finally called into action in 26 minutes, racing from his line to cut down Peralta’s angle and forcing the Honduran to blast a shot off his body after a Stevie Smith cross had caused panic in the Ayr backline.

A few minute later, Bell had to be equally sharp at the other end to block at the feet of Michael Donald as Ayr again served notice that they had not come to park the bus.

Not much was happening but there was still enough to rattle the sometimes fragile
temperament of Mohsni.

The centre-half managed to get involved in a touchline barney with Ayr boss Roberts and in an off-the-ball tangle with Campbell that earned both players a dressing down from Ian Brines.

The second half began as the first ended. In other words, a non-event until the 53rd minute when Rangers took the lead in the most straightforward of circumstances.

They won a corner on the left that was delivered into the centre of the box by Aird’s right boot and Mohsni rose highest to bullet a header down past the helpless Hutton.

Roberts would have been sick in the dugout because at that stage his men were looking comfortable.

But Ayr got away with a defensive blunder that should have killed their chances five minutes later.

A cross into the box broke off a defender into the path of Daly, who fizzed a shot straight at Hutton when a yard either side of the keeper would have found the net.

Ian Black was next to fail to finish and he should have after being released by the pass of the night from Smith. The midfielder burst into the box but Hutton raced out to make the block.

Rangers paid for those misses in the 68th minute by conceding the equaliser in a manner that summed up the sloppy way they’d gone about their business for most of the night.

Richard Foster had time to make a clearance but opted to pass to Peralta on the edge of his own box when the Honduran had Scott McLaughlin right behind him.

The Ayr midfielder mugged him and sent Forrest sprinting into the box. The youngster showed real composure, drew Bell and then coolly slid the ball into the corner of the net.

Rangers responded by taking off Peralta and Shiels, replacing them with Calum Gallagher and Nicky Clark.

And with nine minutes left, Clark played a pivotal role in restoring Rangers’ lead. The sub got on the end of a dinked cross into the box from Law and his header was well saved by Hutton – only for Mohsni to slide in to bury his second goal of the night.

It wasn’t pretty but it was a pretty effective way of wrapping up yet another three points.